This application claims the benefit of priority under 35 U.S.C. 119(f) of the earlier application for European Community Plant Breeders Rights, Application Number 2007/2058 filed Sep. 19, 2007.
The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Dianthus that is grown for use as a flowering plant for pots and containers and as a hardy perennial for the garden and landscape. The new cultivar is known botanically as Dianthus×hybrida and will be referred to hereinafter by the cultivar name ‘STARDUST’.
‘STARDUST’ is a complex hybrid plant that is the product of a long term breeding program conducted in a greenhouse environment in Houndspool, Dawlish, Devon, United Kingdom. The primary focus of the breeding program is to produce new cultivars of Dianthus that exhibit unique growth habit and flower colors. The inventor selected ‘STARDUST’ in 2004 for its double flowers that are pale coral in color.
‘STARDUST’ resulted from the controlled pollination between an unreleased and unpatented Dianthus previously raised by the inventor and known by its code name Dianthus ‘SUW03.08’ as female parent plant, and an unreleased and unpatented Dianthus previously raised by the inventor and known by its code name Dianthus ‘00.16’ as male parent plant.
‘STARDUST’ is distinguishable from both of its parents by having smaller flowers and greyer, more glaucous foliage.
The variety of Dianthus which is considered by the inventor to most closely resemble ‘STARDUST’ is the inventor's variety Dianthus ‘Devon Winnie’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 14,893). Whereas the flowers of ‘STARDUST’ and ‘Devon Winnie’ are both double, those of ‘Devon Winnie’ are slightly smaller (ranging from 25 mm to 35 mm in diameter) and are dark pink in color.
Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar was first accomplished by the inventor in 2004 in a cultivated area of Houndspool, United Kingdom. The method of asexual propagation used was vegetative cuttings. Since that time the characteristics of the new cultivar have been determined stable and are reproduced true to type in successive generations.